Packeting machine



Nov. 30, 1954 J. o. ROHDIN 2,695,551

PACKETING MACHINE Filed Aug. 31, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l 2 [HI a b *1 *1 W $1 Q E v a \q i (b m IN V EN TOR. Ma IMO.

Nov. 30, 1954 J. o. ROHDIN PACKETING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 51, 1950 INVEN TOR.

Nov. 30, 1954 J. o. ROHDIN PACKETING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 31, 1950 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofitice 2,695,551 Patented Nov. 30,1954

forpackning ab, Norrkoping, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden i Application August 31, 1950, Serial No. 182,543 .6 Claims. (Cl. 93-53) This invention relates to machines for packeting commodities in collapsible rectangular cartons made from cardboard, stifi paper, or the like, the cartons being of the kind having foldable flaps at one or eachend, and particularly cartons as described in United States Patent No. 2,427,858. The cartons are usually stored in the flat, or collapsed, condition, and it is necessary to extend them to their effective form prior to the packeting operations.

The particular kind of machine to which the invention relates is one in which a carrier movablein a step-bystep manner is provided with rectangular recesses for the reception of the cartons, a magazine in which the cartons are stacked in the collapsed condition, and feeding means for transferring the cartons individually from the m'agazine to the carrier, so that each carton is initially placed in an oblique, or diagonal, position across a recessin the carrier.

The object of the invention is to provide means for extending, or opening-out, a carton after it has been placed on the carrier.

The invention comprises the combination with a machine of the type aforesaid, of flap-gripping means adapted to exert an outward pull on one or each of the later-ally projecting flaps of the carton.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carton, one end being shown closed and the other open.

Figure 2 is a plan view illustrating diagrammatically a portion of a packeting machine provided with the invention.

Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary plan views illustrating the action of the flap-gripping means.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the flap-gripping means.

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6, Figure 4.

Referring to Figure l, the carton there shown comprises a rectangular body part a made from cardboard or stifi paper, and having at each end a flap b which can be turned down to a position at right angles to the body part as shown. The other end flaps as c, a', are united at their corner edges and are adapted to be folded down over the body part prior to the folding over them of the flaps b in the packeting operation. Also the body part may be provided with a thin paper lining e. Cartons of this kind are usually supplied and stored in a flattened or collapsed condition.

As already stated the purpose of the present invention is to extend or open out the cartons automatically prior to the subsequent packeting operations.

Referring to Figure 2, the machine is provided with a magazine f in which can be placed a stack of collapsed cartons. At the open discharge end of the magazine is arranged a reciprocatory feeder g against which the eartons are pressed by a spring or weight (not shown). The feeder may be reciprocated by any convenient mechanism. On the feeder is formed or secured a pusher h by which the cartons can be transferred singly from the magazine to an intermediate position between the magazine and carrier i. When a carton passes out of the magazine spring loaded fingers j (of which one is shown in Figure 2) pass beneath the flaps b and turn them through 90 so that they extend at right angles to the body part a. From the intermediate position the carton is advanced by a pawl k on the feeder g to the carrier i.

The carrier i consists of a rotary table of circular form having in its periphery recesses m corresponding in size to the extended cartons. The carrier is actuated in a stepby-step manner by any convenient mechanism whose movements are coordinated with those of the feeder 3. As shown in Figure 2, the carton is fed from the intermediate position to the carrier so that it occupies an oblique, or diagonal, position in the recess m, one edge of the carton being in a corner of the base of the recesses, and the body of the carton being supported on the opposite outer edge of the recess.

Around the carrier is arranged a stationary arcuate guide n shown in cross section at Figure 6. At; the upper and lower sides of the guide are formed channels 0 for the reception of the flaps b.

Adjacent to the next position to be occupied by the carrier there is mounted on the guide an obstructor p in the form of a roller or rollers (see Figure 6) mounted on a lever q which is adjustable by a screw r. Preferably the peripheries of the rollers are serrated. The portion of the guide n adjacent to the rollers p is gapped as shown, and in the gap is mounted a gripper mechanism for engaging the flaps b. In some cases it may be sufiicient to provide gripping means for engaging one only of the flaps. In others it is desirable to engage both flaps, and the mechanism shown both flaps.

The flap-gripping mechanism comprises a pair of plates s (Figure 5) interconnected by a spindle t. The upper plate is carried by an arm u on a pivot v, and is connected by a link w to an oscillatory arm 1:. Coaxially with the arm x is arranged an oscillatory disc y which is actuated by any convenient mechanism (not shown).

At the junction of the link w and arm x, is provided a spring loaded pawl 2 which can engage a notch in a fixed part 3. Movement of the arm x in the counter-clockwise direction is effected by a projection 4 on the disc y. Return movement of the arm is effected by a spring 5. Release of the pawl z from the part 3 is effected by a finger piece 6 on the disc y.

On each plate s are pivotally mounted a pair of grippers 7 loaded by springs 8 for gripping the flaps, and adjacent to the grippers is mounted a pivoted stop 9, supported on an abutment 13 and loaded by a spring 10. The initial position of the plate s is determined by an adjustable stop 11.

The mode of action is as follows:

When the carrier i approaches its second position, the flaps b pass between the grippers 7, and the forward edges of the flaps are arrested by the stops 9. This (in cooperation with the obstructor p) has the effect of imparting a slight flexure to the body of the carton so that its rear face assumes a slightly convex form as shown in Figure 2. When the projection 4 encounters the arm at the plates s are swung to the position shown in Figure 3,

causing the gripper to pull the flaps b outwardly and so pull outwardly the adjacent side of the carton. At the end of this movement the stops 9 encounter fixed pieces 12 which move the stops clear of the flaps.

The grippers are held in this position by the engagement of the pawl z with the part 3. Meanwhile the carrier completes its movement to the second position, and by the action of the obstructing rollers p on the forward edge of the carton, the latter is further extended and caused to take up the position shown in Figure 4.

With the opposite movement of the disc y, the pawl z is released by the part 6, and the spring 5 then returns the plates s to their initial positions. During the return movement the grippers slide idly over the flaps.

In the next movement of the carrier i, the carton is carried past the rollers p and is thereby pushed further into the recess as shown in Figure 4. Finally the carton is pressed fully into the recess by a spring: blade 13, so that when the carrier reaches the third position the carton is located as shown in the lower part of Figure 4. At this end subsequent positions of the carton, the flap folding, carton filling, and sealing operations are performed, but the means for effecting these operations form no part of the present invention.

In an alternative construction, the stop pieces 9 associated with the grippers 7, are omitted. In this case the contact of the forward edge of the carton with the rollers p serves as the required abutment for imparting the initial flexure to the carton. Otherwise the action is the same as that above described.

in the drawings is such as will engage.

By this invention the extending or opening out, of

the cartons from the flattened or collapsed condition is effected automatically in a simple and reliable manner.

The invention is not, however, restricted to the kind of machine in which a rgtary carton carrier is employed, as it may be applied 'in essentially the same manner to a machine having a carrier which moves with a rectilinear motion.

What I claim is:

1. A packeting machine of the kind specified, having combined therewith means for extending a carton from its collapsed condition, in which the carton has at least one flap projecting in a plane substantial at right angles to the plane of the collapsed carton, said means comprising grippers for engaging said flap and means for causing the grippers to efi ect a swinging movement of the flap in its own plane so as thereby to effect an initial extension of the cartonf 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the flap grippers comprise the combination of a plate mounted pivotally on an axis parallel to the plane of said plate and a pair of spring loaded and pivotally mounted grippers mounted on the plate and adapted to receive between them and grip a flap extending at right angles from one side of the carton.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the flap grippers comprise the combination of a pair of plates mounted pivotally on an axis parallel to the planes of said plates and a pair of spring loaded and pivotally mounted grippers mounted on each such plate and adapted to receive between them and grip a flap extending at right angles from one side of the carton.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the flap grippers comprise the combination of a pivotally mounted plate, a pair of spring loaded and pivotally mounted grippers mounted on the plate and adapted to receive between them and grip a flap extending at right angles from one side of the carton, and said flap grippers having combined therewith a spring loaded and pivoted stop for arresting the forward edge of the flap.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the flap grippers comprise the combination of a plate mounted pivotally on an axis parallel to the plane of said plate, a pair of spring loaded and pivotally mounted grippers mounted on the plate and adapted to receive between them and grip a flap extending at right angles from one side of the carton, and said flap grippers having combined therewith an actuating mechanism, the said mechanism comprising the combination of an oscillatory disc, an arm movable in one direction by the disc, a spring for imparting movement to the arm in the opposite direction, a pawl on the arm interacting with a stationary part for securing the arm after movement by the disc, a pawl-release device on the disc, and a link connecting the arm to the pivotally mounted part or parts carrying the flap-grippers.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 1, having in the path of the cartons and situated immediately in advance of the fiap grippers, an obstructor in the form of a roller at least for engagement by the forward edge of a carton, the obstructor being adapted to complete the extension of the carton and to press it into the associated recess in the carrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,775,753 Evans et a1. Sept. 16, 1930 2,441,372 Quigley et a1 May 11, 1948 

